awesome alley

Last weekend, we got to visit the most awesome alley in Rapid City. One time, when we were in town for our anniversary in 2010, I took a picture from out on the street, but we didn't have time to go look at it more closely. I was very sad about it. But this time, we were taking the kids to a cheap movie in town, and got there a little early. And I noticed the alley was right across the street from the theater! So I led them all inside. YAY! And we got to walk all the way through too.



The kids enjoyed finding all the cartoons and pop culture icons scattered over the walls.



Roger and Jessica Rabbit




Homer Simpson!




Do you see Wacko?




Sylvester



Mario!

One of the first things we saw as we started heading down  the path was this wall with icons from one of our favorite tv shows, Doctor Who!

Exterminate Exterminate Exterminate

Notice the smart phone tag?

This picture was stuck on the wall like some kind
of wallpaper or something.

Yeah, I can't believe people are even using an alley for advertisements. Sadly, we don't have a smartphone, so I can't tell what this ad is for. Maybe tv times?

I like how they painted the key hole over an actual door knob

I'm not sure, but I think this alley is  some kind of city art project: there was no nudity or swearing, just paintings and philosophical words. At least, I know the art isn't illegal, because we saw one guy spraying a wall just as two police officers on bicycles pedaled right by him without saying a word; all the while he was helpfully explaining to Joseph that it was a wonderful hobby that anyone could pick up.
 It was strange to see the dichotomy of gangster-looking guys hanging out in a few spots, while tourists and old ladies meandering through the space just a few feet away.
"Look, Gladys, the artwork even goes around this corner!"
"My, would you look at that. Isn't it wonderful?"
(overheard right by this side ally)
























It was also strange to see several nice vehicles parked behind the graffitied buildings- this alley is on a block of touristy boutiques and coffee shops, so I assume the cars belonged to people who worked in these businesses- yet it was obvious that some of the second floor windows were looking out from ghetto-ish apartments.




This looks like an airbrush painting that'd be on a big truck.

And I wanted to live there.
Not me right now, with my kids and husband in tow, no way. But I've always liked to look at homes and apartments and picture what my daily routine would be if I lived there- generally I see myself single and college aged, which is long over now, but it's still fun to imagine. When I rode the bus in Seattle, it was my favorite pastime.



I think I like this wall the best

 I may have mentioned once that my sister and I used to say that someday I would live in an old brick apartment building in a big city, and I'd have a neighbor named Mrs. Rosini (or something) who would make spaghetti for me sometimes. Yeah, I know it's a stereotype. And I did live in a city one time, but it was in a house with four other girls, on a quiet side road near an arboretum- probably a much nicer place to live, but not nearly as exciting.
Anyway, I couldn't help but look at each of these residences and think about what it would be like if it was my home.
This one is probably the back entrance to a business, since it's street level. But what if there are stairs inside that go up to that apartment there? Would it be scary to come out at night?




















This next one looks okay. I like the color of the door, and how it's removed from the street a little. It's probably really somebody's office. You think?

Look! Someone painted over the private property sign. Haha.















THIS. I probably wouldn't really be out because of the tourist factor, but I can imagine myself sitting in this little courtyard with a journal, easel, or camera on sunny afternoons. But more so if it was actually closed in . <3 br="">


















I don't know why, but I was fascinated with this corner here. The wall was bumpy and strangely textured. At the top of the stairs was an empty flat space you would cross before reaching a door in the wall where someone might live. It looks like maybe they tore down a wall or two? I was really tempted to go up these stairs just to look, but you can see that the bottom is blocked off.



was this inside once?

However, these stairs right next to them were perfectly accessible!




















What if these were your bedroom windows? Was someone standing right outside painting this late at night while someone slept (how disturbing would that be?), or was it painted by the person who lives/works there? What if you could just climb out your window and paint the wall whenever you felt like it?





Have you heard of this new art movement, where people crochet or knit things, then decorate items in public places? (This is a real thing) I wonder if this little nook is part of that movement, or was a forerunner for it?

























There was a lot of weird stuff, silly stuff, and some strange messages along the way, but I thoroughly enjoyed our little walk down the art alley. Even the pictures that were a little bit scary:



I wonder if the artist and the scribe were the same person for this scene,
or if the writer came by later?



A lot of the written words expressed Eastern inspired philosophy
or ruminations on art, but there were some dark things too.

 





















                                                                                 






This big painting was at the very end of the alley, I took two pictures trying to capture it, but the alley was too narrow to back up sufficiently for my lens to see the whole thing. I'm not sure if that last one is "to pepsi" or maybe "to persue" which makes more sense with the other two phrases, "to have and to gain".

 

 

I was very happy I brought my camera.